The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)

I don't know why but The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou has always been the Wes Anderson movie that appealed me the least. Even though I had never seen it, there was something about it that just didn't click with me. I feel exactly the same now that I've seen it. 

The film follows Steve Zissou (Bill Murray), a famous oceanographer who, after losing his closest friend and colleague, Esteban, to a probably non-existent Jaguar Shark, sets out on a voyage with Team Zissou, which includes his estranged wife, Eleanor (Anjelica Huston), Ned Plimpton (Owen Wilson), a man who may or may not be his son, and a pregnant journalist (Cate Blanchett), to hunt down the mythical creature. 

As you can probably tell, it's another of Anderson's bizarre and quirky stories, only this time it didn't really work for me, the reason being the many confused and unexplained subplots and the pacing that just drags the story and makes the plot kinda boring and uninteresting. Which is a huge shame as The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is more plot-driven than your typical Anderson movie. 

As usual, the film is filled with quirky characters, but there's a problem with them too. First, they don't have much of an inner struggle but more of outside complications; second, they aren't even that likeable as they are pretty cruel and cold, and lack of charm. 

In spite of it, the cast still manages to do a pretty good job. Bill Murray is excellent as usual as the washed-up sea adventurer Zissou and makes a very good pair with Owen Wilson who does very good as Zissou's son(?); Cate Blanchett also does a good job as the journalist. The standout, however, is Willem Dafoe as he gives a very funny performance as Zissou's eccentric German servant. 

Buena Vista Pictures

There's also another issue with The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Anderson just doesn't seem to be able to find a balance between tragedy and comedy, and the film kind of fails at both, with the drama barely working and the humour working half of the time.

Ultimately, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is Anderson's weakest film but it's still a good-ish film with stunning visuals and a great soundtrack.